1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved chiropractic manipulation table and more particularly, a table especially designed for treatment of the cervical vertebrae of a patient while in a prone position supported on separate thoracic and headpiece cushions. A chiropractic manipulation table of the present invention provides additional capability for treating cervical vertebrae of a patient and is an improvement over the tables shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,722,328 and 4,850,343 which are assigned to the same assignee as the present application.
2. Background of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,649,905 and 4,724,828 disclose chiropractic treatment tables having headpieces mounted and provided with multiple degrees of freedom of movement. However, a problem concerning these tables exist in that the headpieces are only movable about a lateral pivot axis which is spaced well below the level of the supporting cushions so that a only small amount of angular displacement about the axis tends to result in a large amount of stretching or pulling action on a patient's spine. Because of this arrangement, the amount of angular deflection is too limited to always effect proper treatment of a patient.